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2008 CHEVROLET CORVETTE — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

crash · 1123105 · 2014-10-24

Vehicle

Make
CHEVROLET
Model
CORVETTE
Year
2008
Manufacturer
General Motors, LLC
Component
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Miles at failure
9,730
Speed
30 mph

Severity

Deaths
0
Injured
0
Fire
No
Crash
Yes
Police report
No
Medical attention
No
Vehicle towed
No

Narrative

C6 CORVETTES HAVE ELECTRICALLY OPERATED DOORS SO IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO OPEN A DOOR WHEN THE BATTERY IS DEAD. HAVING A DEAD BATTERY, I PLACED THE CAR IN MY DRIVEWAY TO JUMP START IT. AS I WENT TO MY TRUCK TO START IT AND CONNECT THE JUMPER CABLES THE CORVETTE BEGAN TO SLOWLY ROLL BACKWARDS - APPARENTLY THE HAND BRAKE WAS NOT QUITE SET ENOUGH (MANUAL TRANSMISSION). I WAS UNABLE TO OPEN THE DOOR TO APPLY THE BRAKES OR HANDBRAKE BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF BATTERY POWER. THE CAR CONTINUED TO ROLL BACKWARDS, ACCELERATING, WITH ME UNABLE TO HOLD OR STOP IT. IT ROLLED ACROSS THE STREET, DOWN MY NEIGHBOR'S DRIVEWAY, AND THROUGH HIS CLOSED GARAGE DOOR COMING TO A STOP AT THE REAR OF HIS GARAGE WITH A HEAVY IMPACT (OVER $11 THOUSAND IN DAMAGES). MY NEIGHBOR'S 2 SMALL GIRLS OFTEN PLAY IN THAT GARAGE WITH THE DOORS CLOSED OR IN THE DRIVEWAY. IF THEY HAD BEEN PLAYING OR ANYONE OR ANY VEHICLE HAD BEEN IN THE STREET AT THAT TIME THERE WOULD LIKELY HAVE BEEN ONE OR MORE FATALITIES DUE TO THE RUNAWAY DRIVER-LESS VEHICLE. ONLY LUCK PREVENTED A SERIOUS ACCIDENT WITH POSSIBLE FATALITIES OR SERIOUS INJURIES. THIS IS OBVIOUSLY AN UNACCEPTABLE AND UNNECESSARY DESIGN DEFECT FOR C6 CORVETTES (AND POSSIBLY OTHER VEHICLES WITH KEY-LESS ENTRY AND ELECTRICALLY OPERATED DOORS). I BELIEVE THAT CHEVROLET SHOULD RECALL THESE VEHICLES AND ADD A MECHANICAL WAY TO QUICKLY OPEN THE DOOR FROM THE OUTSIDE IN EVENT OF A RUNAWAY SITUATION (THERE IS A MECHANICAL BACKUP IF ONE IS IN THE CAR OR IF ONE HAS THE TIME TO MA

Source

Authoritative
NHTSA ODI Flat-File Downloads
ODI Number
10649624
Machine
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